It is not a secret that losing weight after you have a baby is incredibly difficult for many women. Gaining weight in the childbearing years is almost a given for many women, though it need not be.

Recent evidence shows us that there is a very simply method to preventing the pounds from packing on after you give birth:

Walk every day.
Walking 30 minutes a day also reduced the risk of keeping pounds and adding new ones for new moms.

Limit your television viewing.
By limiting your viewing of television shows by watching fewer than two hours a day, you can help lose weight postpartum.

Eat fewer trans fats.
Now with better labeling this should become easier to track.
Keeping these three simple rules provides women with a 77 reduced risk of retaining that weight.
-about.com

Exercising in the postpartum period is a way to help you get back into shape and stay healthy for your baby and yourself. Many moms want to know when they can start exercising after giving birth. The general advice from physicians and midwives is to wait 6-8 weeks before really getting into a fitness routine.

You may be asked to wait longer or hold back a bit if you have had a cesarean section or an operative vaginal delivery (with forceps or vacuum extraction). Your doctor or midwife can give you specifics on your personal time line for exercise. Ideally, this bar on strenuous fitness will not hamper your efforts to move.

Movement is perfect and should begin within hours after you give birth, even if you required surgery. We know that moms who move after birth do tend to heal more quickly and feel better sooner than their less active counterparts.
This doesn't mean jog around the block, but it does mean getting up and moving around your hospital room or in your home. Even after surgery or after an epidural, you can begin to walk with assistance in just a few hours. Though the first few attempts may be painful - overall, the movement is good.
I do not recommend a fitness routine, but a daily brief walk after the first week or two is perfect. Watch for over doing it - which is not hard to do early on. A good way to tell if you are doing too much is if your bleeding gets heavier or brighter red within a few hours of moving.

If you were exercising prior to pregnancy, you may feel more of a need to get out and get going. On a limited basis, some practitioners will give you the go ahead. You might be asked to do modified yoga versus aerobics, but stretching and gentle movements are fine.

Remember that your body is still adjusting to its non-pregnant state. You will have your center of balance shifting again, the hormones of pregnancy will continue to make your joints a bit softer and then you have just the feeling of exhaustion that can accompany any birth.

So the rules of postpartum exercise are:

wait until you're given the go ahead
start with small bits of exercise
slowly work your way back into a fitness routine
stop exercising if you have pain, increased bleeding or other negative signs
think slow and gentle at first
source-About.com

Immediately postpartum you'll probably feel pretty skinny! The first time you stand up and you realize that your belly is now a gelatinous mass...well, I'm sure you get the picture. It took you nine months to get pregnant, and it will take you awhile to lose the weight and tone the muscle again. Talk to your practitioner about safe exercises in the postpartum period and about checking for separation of the muscles.

How quickly you return to your prepregnancy size and shape will depend on weight gain, whether you had a cesarean section or not and many other factors. A healthy diet and exercise are very helpful towards these goals. Though many moms note that even after they have lost all of their weight they still have a different shape than they had prior to babies.

Why gain weight?

Weight gain does things for you and your baby. First of all remember you are growing a new human being. We know that women who deprive themselves of good nutrition during pregnancy tend to have smaller, sickly babies who require more hospital time and have a higher incidence of problems including neonatal death.

How should I gain weight?

Good thing you asked! Because I'd tell you anyway! Remember that eating for two doesn't mean eating twice as much. In general you do not need to add any more than 200-300 calories a day to your present diet. However, it's what you eat that really counts.

Making sure that your diet is nutrient dense, that is full of good things for you and your baby as opposed to junk food that is full of fat and sugar. This means at snack time reach for fresh fruit instead of a candy bar. Add some cheese to your crackers.

Most women will notice a slight weight gain in the beginning of pregnancy, usually about four pounds during the first trimester. Some of this is water weight, so of this is materials needed to help your baby grow. Your baby is still very tiny at the end of this trimester. Occasionally you will see women who gain a bit more weight up to about ten pounds during the first trimester from lowered activity levels and water weight gain. If you are overweight you need to gain about three pounds and if you are underweight you should gain about five pounds.

The majority of the weight will be fairly evenly spread over the last two trimesters, about a pound a week, with a little more at the end. Again, if you are underweight it should be increased by about 25% (or a quarter pound per week) and if you are overweight it should be decreased by the same amount. It is also quite common to notice a cessation of weight gain, perhaps even a slight weight loss at the very end of pregnancy.

If you notice that you've put on several pounds one week, look back at your diet. Did you changes your dietary habits? Your practitioner will also use your weight gain as an indicator of baby's growth and in looking for potential problems.

Remember slow and steady wins the race!

This excerpt is taken from an article by Robin Elise Weiss.

Postpartum Exercise Routine
-pregnancy.about.com
You can do this routine with two pound ankle weights or without.

Leg Extensions 2 sets of 40
Lay on your back, bend legs and extend them to vertical. You should feel this in your quad/front of thigh/around knee.

Leg Curl 2 sets of 40
Stand next to a wall (on a phone book for a bit of height. Hold the wall, but don't lean). Bend leg to your butt and extend it all the way, with foot flexed. You should feel this burn the hamstring/back of thigh, butt.

Adductors 2 sets of 40
Lay on back, legs extended vertically and together. Open legs to straddle and close. (you don't have to straddle wide, just as much as you can and so that you feel it working your inner thigh muscles)

Abductors 2 sets of 20
Lay on side, both legs bent slightly. Lift top leg slightly above horizontal and back down. Make sure the foot of the leg you are lifting is straight, vs. turned out or in. You should feel this on the outside of your thigh.

Calves 2 sets of 40
Stand with feet together (you can hold the wall if you like) and go to tip toe (or as high as you can). Make sure when you raise your heels that your ankles stay in line (don't let ankles collapse in or out). You should feel this in your calves.

Toe Taps 2 sets of 50
Standing, just tap one foot at a time, lifting toes. You can do these quick. You should feel this in your shin.

Lunges 2 sets of 20
Standing, step back with each leg, once at a time. Make sure you don't turn out the foot of the leg that is in front and make sure you touch the knee to the floor of the leg you step behind. Alternate each leg. Left, right, so on. You'll feel this in your thighs.

Crunches 50
Lay on back, bend knees, arms on your stomach. Lift your head and shoulders enough to clear the floor. Try not to use your neck/head to help you lift. You'll feel it burn those muscles!

Postpartum Exercise Routine

Crunches 2 sets of 20
Lay on back, bend knees, arms on your stomach. Lift your head and shoulders enough to clear the floor. Try not to use your neck/head to help you lift (it is very hard! Especially since my stomach is so soft!). You'll feel it burn those muscles!

Crunches w/leg lift 2 sets of 20
Get in position for crunch, but extend your legs so that your legs are a little more than slightly bent. As you crunch, lift one leg, alternating one leg per crunch. You'll feel this in your lower abdomen as well as near ribs.

Reverse crunches 2 sets of 15
Lay on back in crunch position, lift your legs off the floor (so you're tucked). The crunch action is to lift your knees toward chest, lifting butt off the floor. You'll feel it in your lower abdomen.

Crunches with torso action 2 sets of 10
A)Crunch position, cross right leg over left, leg turned out. Left hand behind your head. Now, crunch to turn and lift your torso so left arm reaches to right knee and back down.
B)Keep left arm behind head. Cross left leg over right. Now lift torso to the outside and crunch toward left knee. a+b = 1 set, repeat on the opposite side.

Sure, Katie Holmes and Brooke Shields looked great after having their babies. But if you're expecting to look like a celebrity mom right after birth, please be advised: You're likely in for a major disappointment.

"Celebrity moms have trainers, stylists, personal chefs and live-in nannies," says Tana Kokol, a registered dietitian and trainer in Washington, D.C., and New York City. "Unless that describes your lifestyle, don't think you're going to pop back into your 'before' clothes a few weeks after giving birth."

Many new moms find that shedding those extra pregnancy pounds can be especially challenging at a time when they're undergoing such a huge life change.

Here are 6 strategies for losing the weight safely and permanently.

Here is the rest of the aticle:
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/pregnancy/staying-fit-healthy/post-pregnancy/weight-loss-postpartum-pace

Here are some questions you can think about before choosing an exercise routine:

What physical activities do I enjoy?
Do I prefer group or individual activities?
Are there any activities I can do with my baby?
What programs best fit my schedule?
Do I have physical conditions that limit my choice of exercise?
What goals do I have in mind? (losing weight, strengthening muscles, or improving flexibility, for example)

When starting out, you should plan a routine that is easy to follow and stay with. As the program becomes more routine, you can vary your exercise times and activities.

Choose an activity you enjoy. Exercising should be fun and not a chore. You might even be able to include your baby. Try jogging or walking with the stroller, and think of your think little buddle of joy as a 12+ pound weight. Exercise can double as playtime.

Schedule regular exercise into your daily routine. Add a variety of exercises so that you do not get bored.

Stick with it. If you exercise regularly, it will soon become part of your lifestyle.

If you feel you need supervision or medical advice to begin an exercise program, ask your doctor.

Stop exercising and call your doctor if you have:

Severe or chronic pain
Increased vaginal bleeding
Faintness
Nausea
Shortness of breath
Extreme fatigue and muscle weakness

Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods high in fiber - such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains - provide you with many important nutrients while helping you feel full longer. Other nutrient-rich choices include low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, yogurt and low-fat cheeses. White meat poultry, most fish, beans, and lean cuts of beef and pork are good sources of protein, as well as zinc, iron and B vitamins.
Avoid temptation. Surround yourself with foods that are good for you. If junk food poses too much temptation, keep it out of the house.
Eat smaller portions. Don't skip meals or limit your intake of fruits and vegetables. You'll miss vital nutrients. Instead, scale back your portions of higher calorie foods.
Eat only when you're hungry. If you're anxious or nervous or if you simply think it's time to eat, distract yourself. Take your baby for a walk, call a friend or read a favorite magazine.

Get comfortable. If you're breast-feeding, feed your baby right before you exercise. Wear a supportive bra and comfortable clothing.
Start slowly. Begin with light aerobic activity, such as walking, stationary cycling or swimming. Avoid jumping and jerky, bouncy or jarring motions.
Break it up. Exercise in short sessions throughout the day. As your stamina improves, gradually increase the length and intensity of your workouts.
Include your baby. Take your baby for a daily walk in a stroller or baby carrier. If you prefer to jog, use a jogging stroller designed for infants. Lay your baby next to you while you stretch on the floor. Hold him or her in your arms and dance to your favorite music.
Target your abs. Losing abdominal fat takes dietary changes and aerobic exercise, but abdominal crunches and other ab exercises can help tone your abdominal muscles.
Remember your Kegels. These exercises won't help you lose weight, but they will tone your pelvic floor muscles. Simply tighten your pelvic muscles as if you're stopping your stream of urine. Try it for five seconds at a time, four or five times in a row. You can do Kegels while standing, sitting or lying down - even while breast-feeding your baby.

Most women lose about 10 pounds during birth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. During the first week after delivery, you'll lose additional weight as you shed retained fluids. But the fat stored during pregnancy won't disappear on its own.

Through diet and exercise, it's reasonable to lose about half a pound a week. It may take six months or even longer to return to your pre-pregnancy weight - whether you're breast-feeding or not. In the meantime, take pride in your healthy lifestyle and your role as a mother.